AFL icon Tony Modra is in a critical but stable condition and no longer fighting for his life after a crash involving his cattle truck on Thursday.
The Adelaide and Fremantle great, best-known for his high-flying marks, was airlifted to Flinders Medical Centre after the incident in Back Valley, south of Adelaide.
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Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph revealed on Friday evening that Modra, 57, had taken “significant steps forward in the last 12 hours” in a positive update.
“I can you give the very latest news, and it is overwhelmingly positive. This is no longer a threat of life or death,” Ralph said on Fox Footy.
“After grave fears for his life, he has taken significant steps forward in the last 12 hours. That mean those close to him believe he is out of the woods.
“He’s still in UCU, but he is stable.
“He’s had surgery today on his cheek, jaw and eye socket. But those injuries are no longer life threatening.
“He’s going to emerge with some battle scars, he will be in hospital for the foreseeable future. But Tony Modra lives to fight another day.
“That is fantastic news for the entire AFL community.”
On Friday morning, Modra’s wife Erica shared a massive update alongside his former teammate Mark Ricciuto, saying the 57-year-old’s condition has improved while receiving treatment.
Ricciuto, a Crows legend and Fox Footy analyst, shared the news with Triple M radio in Adelaide.
“She just wants to say a very big thank you to the first responders — Sarah and Anthony — who saved his life and helped talk through to Erica while things were going down,” Ricciuto said.
“She wants to thank the MFS and the emergency personnel at the Victor Harbour Hospital who stabilised him and got him sorted until the intensive care team took control.
“She wants to say thank you to all the people in Western Australia who have been reaching out to her. She said to me just before he’s not going to be the same good-looking Tony Modra, he’s going to have some scars. I said: ‘Well, he can be like us for once instead of being good looking as he always has been.
“He’s going okay and we’re fingers crossed he’s going to get through it okay at the moment. She just really wanted to say thank you to everyone.”
The heroic first person to rush to Modra’s aid, 78-year old Linda Cameron, recounted the horrific scene.
“He was just a man who was in trouble and it (his face) was bleeding really badly,” she told 7News.
“I wasn’t going to leave him, not at any stage was I ever going to leave him. He needed help.
“His name was Tony, that’s all I knew, and I kept saying, ‘My name’s Linda and I’m not going anywhere’.
“I held his hand and I made him squeeze my hand — I probably squeezed the blood out of his hand, poor thing. But I kept saying, ‘Hold on tight’.”
It comes after FIVEAA radio presenter Jess Adamson also reported on information she received from SA Health.
“We’re hearing that he’s rallying, and that there are some encouraging signs, which is the best news,” Adamson said.
Despite the positive update, Modra remains in a critical condition.
“A truck driver has been seriously injured after a crash at Back Valley,” SA Police said in a statement.
“About 5.15pm on Thursday 18 June, police and emergency services responded to reports of that a truck had crashed into a tree on Range Road, Back Valley, about 10 kilometres west of Victor Harbor.
“The driver and sole occupant of the truck, a 57-year-old Waitpinga man, was taken to hospital for treatment for serious injuries.
“Traffic restrictions were in place for several hours, however the road has since fully re-opened.”
The Herald Sun reports a branch may have gone through the window of the truck cabin. Police, however, are yet to determine the cause of the crash.
A photo of the truck, which foxsports.com.au has chosen not to run, appears to show damage to the windshield.
Modra played 165 AFL games, kicking 558 goals, with 118 games at the Crows and then 47 at the Dockers.
He was twice named an All-Australian and led his club goalkicking six times, taking Mark of the Year three times.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir sent his best wishes to Modra and his family after his side’s nine-point win over Geelong on Thursday night.
“It’s pretty fresh for me… obviously (Modra is) a big part of the Freo family,” Longmuir said.
“Hopefully he can pull through. I’m thinking of him, we’re all thinking of him and his family. Thoughts are with them.”
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas provided a statement late on Thursday: “‘Mods’ is an SA icon who has never forgotten where he came from. Down to earth and just a really good bloke,”
“Tony and his family are in our thoughts tonight, and we all hope he’ll be ok.”
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes paid tribute to Modra.
“He’s my hero, he has been since I was 10 years of age. He’s a fighter,” Cornes said.
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